[Review on application of microdialysis in medicine study]

Recent publications are quoted to summarize multiple use of microdialysis in medical fields, especially in pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. Microdialysis was coupled with HPLC-ECD, HPLC-MS and other detectors to study endogenous substances and medicines, including neurotransmitters, amino acid, other endogenous metabolites and drugs as well as Chinese medicines. Microdialysis is a relatively new sampling technique and its advantages as well as disadvantages are briefly assessed. At the end of this review, an outlook to apply this technique in traditional Chinese medicine study is given forward.